


Not Summer Yet

by Yellow_Soul



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Arguing, Carmen Is Done, Could Be Canon, Gen, Happy Ending, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, If You Squint - Freeform, Insomnia, Mentioned Zack (Carmen Sandiego), PlayCarm, Player Is Smart, Teenage Dorks, but so stupid, poor Ivy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-07 13:23:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19210315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yellow_Soul/pseuds/Yellow_Soul
Summary: Carmen wants Player to sleep. Player can't sleep, so he lies. Carmen wants Player to be honest. You don't always get what you want in life.Alternatively,Compromise is an important part of friendship. That doesn't mean anyone is happy about it.





	Not Summer Yet

**Author's Note:**

> I totally didn't write this all in one go. Definitely didn't stay up till five am typing and retyping it. Certainly not. Never. Nope.

          Normally Carmen didn't push Player to share about his personal life. Every now and again she might tell him to go to sleep or check to make sure he was eating, but as of recently her mind had been so one tracked that she hadn't questioned why he was always awake when they needed him. She'd stopped pestering him about why he was always on his computer, why his responses came so quickly- it was just a fact of life. How could she notice when she had mission after mission to crack? Even now she wouldn't have second guessed Player's endless presence if not for Ivy.

          Player had only just finished debriefing them on their next mission and its importance. This time around they were in India at a dig site, something much smaller than their usual escapades. It was midday for them and it seemed only natural that Player was wide awake to help find their way through unfamiliar territory. He'd briefly mentioned getting off to do some homework, geography if she remembered correctly. How ironic. "Isnnit summer vacation for you yet?" Ivy had been teasing, but she did have a point. Summer had 'officially' started on June twenty-first, only three days ago. The fact that Player was still in school was strange, but not impossible.

          They had time to kill before their mission (which was half of why Player had decided to do homework). However, they hadn't _planned_ on having time, and had nothing to do while they waited. Free time was rare as it was, and Carmen didn't want to waste it. It had been awhile since she and Player had had the chance to talk about anything that _wasn't_ V.I.L.E. related. And if this was her only chance? Then Player's homework would just have to wait. Besides, he was her oldest friend (not in _age_ , but you get what I mean), she'd be damned if she didn't at least get to make small talk. "They're running pretty late, huh? Last year you got out around early June,"

          Player laughed nervously, "Yep, lots of snow days to make up this year, you know how it is," That was... _weird_. Carmen could feel all kinds of warning signs going off in her head. He had never been an amazing liar, at least not when it came to her. Something was wrong and, whatever it was, it was a miracle that none of them had noticed sooner.

          No matter how Carmen thought about it, though, it didn't add up. Sure, even if Player was lying (which it most definitely seemed he _was_ ), why would he? She knew how to keep a secret, and it's not like there were even a ton of people she _could_ tell. What was he even lying about? School ending? She'd feel less bad about keeping him up if she knew he was on summer break- not that she _wouldn't_ still feel bad! Just not as guilty. It was possible he had summer school and didn't want them to tease him, but she doubted he'd go as far as lying about it school still being in session. Then it occurred to her. If Player wasn't actually in school (or doing homework), just how late  _was_  she keeping him up?

           If he hadn't been honest about school then what were the odds he was discreetly lying about the time? It was only twelve in India, the sun was invisible from her spot on the bed, but what about Toronto? Carmen was fairly decent at math, and she was use to keeping track of Player's time zone, but how long had it been since she'd last admonished him for his horrible sleeping habits? How long ago was it that she stopped questioning how late it was for him?

          Probably ever since Player started lying about _'Just getting home from school!'_ or _'Going to go finish homework!'_.

          It took a minute longer than it normally would, but she did in fact calculate his time. "It's three am for you, isn't it," Despite her phrasing it wasn't a question. They both knew exactly where this was going. She could practically feel how uncomfortable Ivy was, her eyes glancing at the door of their hotel bedroom, praying for a quick escape. Zack had left right after their briefing for a bathroom break, it came as no surprise that he'd chosen not to come back. Carmen stood, wordlessly heading to the tiny balcony attached to their bedroom. It was more for her own sake than Ivy's, the fresh air might keep her from ripping Player into literal shreds.

          With an audible click she closed the balcony door, taking her time to breath deeply before plowing on. She was an adult. She was not going to snap at Player. She _wouldn't_. "When did school end?"

          There were soft tapping sounds, Player typing on his computer doing God only knows what. After a couple seconds he stopped, waiting in silence, likely trying to think of a way out of his current predicament. "... May twenty-sixth," Obviously, there _was_ no way out of this one. No way but the truth.

          He might as well have punched her in the gut. "You've been out of school for a _month?_ Why didn't you _tell_ us?" She was almost mad they weren't on a video chat right now. At least, she would have been if she weren't already mad at him for lying. "Who even lies about still going to school?" Video or not, she could tell by his voice alone how embarrassed he was at being caught red-handed. "It's difficult to explain, okay?"

          "Try me," He gave a long-suffering sigh, but rose to her challenge. "I figured if I could convince you it was a decent time you wouldn't worry so much? You already have a _lot_ on your plate Carm, I just- the last thing you need to think about is how _late_  it is for me,"

          "You're my friend, I'm gonna worry about you whether you're up at five am or not," She might not pry into his life a ton, but she'd done her best to make sure he was doing his homework and eating regularly, "If you were in school there would be _more_ things to worry about,"

          While he wasn't lying, it was easy to tell it was only a half-truth. Even if Carmen was a thief, she valued honesty. V.I.L.E. was nothing but rich snobs hiding in thick clouds of deception, it only made sense that she'd dislike lying after how they'd tricked her into believing they were the _'Good Guys'_.

          When Player finally responded, it was soft, as if he wasn't quite sure he wanted her to hear him, "... I was tired of you always pushing me away." That was... not what she was expecting. His voice built on itself, not becoming _louder_ , but more frantic. As though everything was rushing out at once without a chance to filter or think, "Whenever you realize I haven't slept you- you get _angry_ or you tell me to go to bed, but I _can't_. I don't choose to stay up, it's not my fault I physically _can't sleep_ , but- but when you do that I end up not sleeping anyways and then I'm frustrated because I can't _help_ you anymore and then I _worry_ , but there's nothing I can _do_ ,"

          It had never occurred to her that Player might not sleep after she ended her calls with him. She'd always assumed the only thing inbetween him and sleep was her (and maybe the blue light from his computer). For as much as they'd teased him about being an insomniac, she'd never considered the fact that he might _actually_ have insomnia. That didn't make his lying any better.

          "You could have just lied about the time, you didn't have to keep up the whole 'I'm still in school' charade," Player made an offended noise that was an odd mix between an annoyed groan and an aggressive sigh. Carmen bit her lip in frustration, boys were _so_ stupid. Zack was a prime example, but for whatever reason she'd assumed Player would have his head on better. "If I just lied about the time you'd know! You always use to check the time because you _knew_ I would lie about it sometimes!"

          He was right, and she absolutely hated it. "But why does pretending you're in school make that _any_ better?" There was a scuffling sound from the other end, probably Player attempting to rip out his hair. "Because when I say _'Oh I just had lunch'_ or _'Oh school's almost over'_ you think it's not as late as it really is! You and I both know you didn't bother double checking till _now_ which means it _did_ make it better,"

           There was more bite in his words than she expected. Player didn't get angry often, much less at _her_. Even if she had been pressuring him, backing him into a corner, _he_ was the one who had been lying for _a whole month_. He had no right to be mad at her, not after breaking her trust like that. "... I just want us to be _honest_ with each other."

          "If I was honest with you before would you have told me to go to bed?" It took everything in her not to flinch. _Would she have?_  Perhaps. There was a fair chance that she'd think he was trying to get out of sleeping, denying that he was tired when he really was, "Maybe, but I won't anymore,"

          He didn't have to say anything for her to know he was skeptical. Who could blame him? Only a month or so ago she use to nag him about sleeping every time they called. "Okay, I'll _try_ not to, but you need to promise not to lie to me ever again,"

           Any tension left between them evaporated as Player snorted, " _That_ I can believe. Alright Red, you got yourself a deal," Absently she rubbed at her shoulder, not realizing how tense she'd been up until a minute ago, "Good, I'd hate to let V.I.L.E. win for once just because I have to fly to Canada and smack some sense into you,"

          A light rap against the balcony door nearly startled Carmen enough to drop her phone. She must've become so wrapped up in her conversation with Player she'd forgotten her surroundings. "Uh, Carm? So, Zack didn't come back 'cause he wanted to make us some food-"

          "Oh _god_ , it's the Great Massacre of Lithuania all over again," Carmen rolled her eyes at her friend's theatrics, grumbling in response, " _Not_ helping Player. I gotta go handle this, see you in ten?"

          His relief was palpable, true to her word she didn't push for him to sleep, "Yeah, I wouldn't have it any other way,"

**Author's Note:**

> A friend recently explained to me that telling other people to go to bed due to time zones never works. It usually just makes the other person feel isolated or lonely. So remember kids, even if you want them to sleep, they probably aren't going to sleep (whether you talk to them or not :'/). You can recommend that they sleep, but don't push them! :0


End file.
